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The alongshore response of dunes to storm events can be extremely variable and,consequently, their capacity to maintain their services, including the protection ofhinterland communities. In this study, the role of biotic and abiotic factors determin-ing the magnitude of dune retreat driven by a severe storm along a 60 km barrierisland system was investigated. Data from high-resolution satellite imagery, digitalterrain models, and wave propagation models were used in this assessment. Theassessed abiotic factors included the backshore volume, dune height, downdrift inletdistance, and incident wave power. The evaluated biotic factor was the vegetationcover, characterized by a vegetation index retrieved from the multispectral imagery.The results revealed large alongshore variability on dune retreat, ranging from negli-gible impact to ca. 40 m of retreat. All combined factors allowed us to explain up to70% of the dune retreat variability through a multi-regression analysis. Among allinvestigated factors, the major contributor controlling the magnitude of dune retreatwas the backshore volume (more robust berms reduced the retreat) followed by thewave power (normal and longitudinal components). Moreover, the removal of localsalient features in the dune line caused the straightening of the coastline, highly con-tributing to the development of dune retreat hotspots. The other evaluated factorshad a smaller influence on reducing coastal retreat, including the vegetation, whosecontribution to dune protection was around one order of magnitude lower than thatprovided by the backshore volume. The results highlight the importance of regionalassessments to understand the causes behind the large alongshore variability ofstorm impacts at dunes. They also state the relatively low influence of the vegetationfrom this climatic region to enhance dune resistance to storms. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Coastal ecosystems are among the world’s most threatened environments, as they undergo diverse anthropogenic pressures, which trigger habitat alteration along with rarefaction and/or local extinction of native species. In this study, we performed a floristic investigation aimed at assessing the environmental status of two protected sandy areas located on the Tyrrhenian coast of southern Italy, the southern Garigliano estuary area and Castel Volturno Nature Reserve. These localities show similar geomorphological and climatic conditions, but different land uses and management practices. The sampling of the vascular plants was carried out through geo-location of species, to allow their availability to national and international floristic mapping projects. At whole territory and habitat types level, major trends for shared and exclusive species composition were identified through the analysis of life form, chorology percentage spectrum and similarity index. We detected that the total vascular flora is composed by 429 species, and found out that Garigliano is slightly richer in species (317) than Castel Volturno (311). It is important to note that Garigliano and Castel Volturno’s richness in plants was considerably significant in comparison with other coastal areas of central and southern Italy. Furthermore, although we pointed out that the studied areas showed a low degree of floristic similarity, the shrubland habitat encompassed the highest number of total species and plants of floristic interest (i.e., Italian endemic, rare in Campania, plants included in CITES convention, Habitat Directive, Regional Law of Campania 40/94, National and Regional Red List) in both areas. Finally, despite a severe alteration due to direct anthropogenic disturbance and large-scale alterations that occurred in the last 60 years, we showed that several species of phytogeographical interest are still found in the studied coastal sandy areas, confirming the great importance of this territory for plant diversity and conservation.

The current report discusses Bromus diandrus, a new species in the flora of Bulgaria. A concise description of its morphological features with an emphasis on the characters that distinguish it from the already known representatives of Bromus sect. Genea in the country is presented. The newly established locality is characterized floristically and ecologically. The probabilities of the native or alien origin of the studied population are also discussed.

La repoblació de les dunes de Guardamar i Elx, començada l’any 1900, com a exemple de bosc protector del poble, a l’empara de la legislació sobre repoblació de dunes impulsada pels enginyers de forests de finals del segle XIX, és un dels casos més citats en la bibliografia forestal. Generalment hui s’atén sobretot al resultat: un bosc artificial de pins, amb eucaliptus i palmeres. Però cal tenir en compte, per apreciar el que suposa la repoblació, quin era el medi inicial, com s’ha modificat quant a l’aspecte físic i el biòtic, quantes espècies s’assajaren fins plantar les definitives, i quin és ara el resultat botànic. Aquest és l’objectiu del present treball. Primerament exposarem les condicions ambientals i quina era la vegetació inicial de les dunes. Després vorem els canvis en el medi físic i biòtic que suposà la repoblació. L’apartat més novedós és la relació detallada de les espècies usades i de les que es van provar, encara que després la major part no en fóra emprada. Per últim, es mostra breument quin ha estat el resultat pel que fa a la flora i la vegetació després de més de cent anys. La repoblación de las dunas de Guardamar y Elche, iniciada el año 1900, como ejemplo de bosque protector del pueblo, al amparo de la legislación sobre repoblación de dunas impulsada por los ingenieros forestales de finales del siglo XIX, es uno de los casos más citados en la bibliografía forestal. Generalmente, hoy se ve sobre todo el resultado: un bosque artificial de pinos, con eucaliptos y palmeras. Pero se ha de tener en cuenta, para apreciar lo que supone la repoblación, cuál era el medio inicial, cómo se ha modificado en el aspecto físico y en el biótico, cuántas especies se ensayaron hasta que se plantaron las definitivas, y cuál es ahora el resultado botánico. Éste es el objetivo del presente trabajo. En primer lugar, expondremos las condiciones ambientales y cuál era la vegetación inicial de las dunas. Después veremos los cambios en el medio físico y el biótico que supuso la repoblación. El apartado más novedoso es la relación detallada de las especies usadas y las que se probaron, aunque después la mayor parte no fuera utilizada. Por último, se muestra brevemente cuál es el resultado en lo que respecta a la flora y la vegetación después de más de un centenar de años. The revegetation of the dunes of Guardamar and Elche, begun in 1900, as an example of the protective forest of the village, under the legislation on repopulation of dunes promoted by forest engineers of the late nineteenth century, is one of the most cited cases in the forestry library. Generally, today you see above all the result: an artificial forest of pines, with eucalyptus trees and palm trees. But it must be taken into account, in order to appreciate what repopulation implies, what was the initial medium, how it has changed in the physical aspect and in the biotic, how many species were tested until the definitive ones were planted, and what is now the botanical result. This is the object of this work. First, we will explain the environmental conditions and what was the initial vegetation to the dunes. Next, we will see the changes in the physical environment and the biotic that undertook the repopulation. The most novel section is the detailed relationship of the species used and those that were tested, although most of it was not used afterwards. Finally, it briefly shows what the result is in terms of flora and vegetation after more than a hundred years.

Leatherback turtles, Dermochelys coriacea, are affected by a range of anthropogenic stressors throughout their range. However, little is known about the species’ responses to natural threats such as dune vegetation, which can have a negative effect on the quality of nesting habitats. In this study, we assessed the potential impact of Ipomoea pes-caprae on the sea-finding abilities of leatherback hatchlings at the Pacuare Nature Reserve on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. To analyse their effects on hatchling behaviour, we measured and compared the speed at which hatchlings managed to reach the water at open beach locations and vegetated locations. We recorded nest locations of 1491 nests, which were left in situ, and 784 that were relocated between 2012 and 2014. The majority of in situ nests were located in areas where the vegetation was denser than in open beach. We found that dune vegetation had a negative effect on hatchling speed, which led to an increased exposure time to predators and dehydration and could potentially entail extreme physiological stress affecting hatchling mortality. Thus, the presence of vegetation might negatively influence the suitability of nesting habitats if beach erosion processes increase on nesting grounds in the future., Research permits were granted by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy (MINAE) of Costa Rica (R-SINAC-ACLAC-PIME-009-2013).

A Praia do Santinho é uma praia de enseada localizada na costa leste da Ilha de Santa Catarina, Brasil. Neste trabalho, três perfis de praia foram dispostos nos setores sul, central e norte, cada um com extensão do reverso da duna frontal até a face da praia. A Praia do Santinho apresentou estágio morfodinâmico intermediário, com variabilidade entre os três setores, com o norte mostrando tendência ao estágio dissipativo. A altura de onda, largura e altura das dunas frontais aumentaram do setor sul para o norte. O tamanho de grão foi homogêneo com areia fina. Um total de 14 famílias e 28 espécies foi amostrado na análise de cobertura vegetal dos setores. O setor central teve maior riqueza de espécies, o maior índice de diversidade (H = 0,95), e também a maior cobertura de vegetação. Os setores norte e sul tiveram H = 0,80 e H = 0,73, respectivamente. O balanço de sedimentos afetou a cobertura vegetal total e a riqueza de espécies. A maior riqueza ocorreu no setor central, de estágio intermediário, enquanto a menor riqueza ocorreu no setor norte, em uma fase dissipativa. O setor sul mostra uma etapa intermediária, mas com menor riqueza de espécies, possivelmente associada a uma duna incipiente e uma grande dominância de uma espécie arbustiva. MORPHODYNAMIC BEACH AND FOREDUNE VEGETATION RELATIONSHIP OF SANTINHO BEACH, SANTA CATARINA ISLAND, BRAZIL. Santinho beach is a small bay beach located in the east coast of Santa Catarina Island, Brazil. In this work three cross shore profiles were disposed in sectors south, central and north, each of them having an extension from the back of the foredune until the beach face. The general morphodynamic stage of Santinho beach is intermediate, with some variability between the three sectors: the northern one showing a clear dissipative trend. Wave height, width and foredune height increased from south to north sectors. The grain size was homogeneous with fine sands. A total of 14 families and about 28 species were surveyed in the vegetation cover of all sectors. Central sector has the greatest richness in species, the greatest diversity index (H=0.95), and also the greatest vegetation cover. Sectors north and south have H=0.80 and H=0.73, respectively. Sediment balance affected the total vegetal cover and species richness. In the central sector a great richness in species occurred in an intermediate stage, while in the north sector a smaller richness occurred in a dissipative stage. The south sector shows an intermediate stage, but with a less species richness, possible associated with an incipient dune and a high dominance of a shrub species.